Alice

The first stuffed Mole (think children's stuffed animal, not something in the Museum of Natural History) I ever saw was in England -- which I thought was hilarious, but actually makes perfect sense given the Wind In The Willows was written there by Charles Grahame in 1908.

As a reminder, the Mole was a mild-mannered, home-loving animal, who was initially overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of riverside life, but eventually adapted to it.

I came across the second stuffed Mole a couple weeks ago. This one was super cute and made by a company in France to help "rediscover the traditions of our grandmothers." I saw it, loved it and couldn't stop thinking about it - so now Chase has a stuffed Mole named Alice.

*And yes, it is yet another example of how difficult it is to find children's toys that look like the real thing. The Mole is close, except he has glasses and little sweater. But I figure Moles aren't known for their vision and if there's one thing I learned in England, it's always good to have an extra layer.